


Love and Griffins

by Stegosaurus_Rex



Category: Avalon: Web of Magic - Rachel Roberts
Genre: Asexuality, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-10
Updated: 2014-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-08 07:15:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1931601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stegosaurus_Rex/pseuds/Stegosaurus_Rex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years after the events of Dark Mage and Full Circle, the three mages travel to Aldenmoor to help a family of griffins.  Along the way, they discover new things about each other...and themselves.</p>
<p>1)  Includes depictions of minor violence and trauma, but I don't intend for it be graphic, in keeping with the books' PG nature.  Okay, maybe it gets up to PG-13, since the characters are older.</p>
<p>2)  I haven't read the second set in a while, and I don't currently have access to copies, so I apologize for any errors or inconsistency with canon.</p>
<p>3)  This work completely disregards the events of Shadow Warrior as it has not been published yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Is there something going on between you and Zach?” Kara asked.  


“Okay, one, why would you think that, and two, how is it any of your business?” Adriane snapped.  


Kara held up her hands defensively. “Whoa, easy there, Xena. It’s just that every time you come back from Aldenmoor these days, you’re super extra grumpy – especially when you’re working with your boyfriend. And it’s my business first of all because I’m your friend, and second, if you’re having trouble with him, I can switch jobs with you.”  


Adriane stared at the Rocking Stone. It was quiet now, but only a few moments ago, it had been alive with the lights of a portal to Aldenmoor. “Thanks, but that won’t be necessary,” Adriane said stiffly. “It’s just…Zach’s been weird lately.”  


“Weird how?”  


Adriane shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. It’s like, we used to be so in synch with each other. Now he’s…different.”  


“He’s different or you’re different?” Kara raised an eyebrow as Adriane glared at her. “Or it could be both. I know I’m definitely not the same person I was in middle school. Maybe you two need a break from each other, like Lorren and me.”  


“We are not you and Lorren! Or you and Donovan!”  


Kara shrugged. She was used to her fast-paced dating life being a running joke among the three mages. “Of course not,” she told Adriane. “But you’re still young. There’s no need to tie yourself to one guy just yet. Have fun. Experiment.”  


Adriane snorted. “Is Emily back yet?” she said, deliberately changing the subject. “I’m starving. We’re still getting pizza later, right?”  


Kara opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a loud pop! “Skookee!”  


“Goldie!” Kara exclaimed. “What’s up? Call from Emily?”  


Orange Blaze popped into the air next to her. “Floogoof!” he said. The dragonflies linked claws, and spun in a circle, creating a window into another world.  


Adriane peered eagerly over Kara’s shoulder, then her face fell in dismay. “Zach!” she exclaimed. “What is it now?”  


“I wasn’t trying to call _you_ ,” he snapped. “Where’s Emily?”  


“On Aldenmoor still,” Kara said, subtly elbowing Adriane aside. “With a sick sea dragon. What’s up, Zach?”  


“There’s a…a griffin,” Zach said, voice tense. Kara remembered that his first bonded had been a griffin. “He’s hurt bad. I’m doing what I can, but I’m no healer.”  


“Got it,” Kara said. “We’ll be there as soon as we can. Kara out.”  


With a pop, the window disappeared.  


“Adriane – “  


“It doesn’t matter what I think of him,” Adriane said firmly. “There’s a hurt animal, and that comes first.”  


Kara nodded approvingly, and caught Goldie by the tail. “Hold up, you. We need to make one more call, and we might need you to open the portal again if things get bad.”  


“Awww!”  


Goldie and Blaze linked claws again, spinning a new window.


	2. Chapter 2

“She’ll be fine. Just make sure she takes it easy for a few days, and drinks lots of fruit juice.”  


The sea dragon nuzzled Emily’s hand, then sneezed a large amount of slimy mucus onto it. Sheepishly, the dragon pulled her head back.  


Emily just laughed, and wiped her hand on her jeans.  


“You sure she’ll be all right?” Marlin said, hovering anxiously.  


“Yes. It’s just a cold. Same as the others. Try to keep the healthy dragons away from them so that it doesn’t spread.”  


“You can’t…you know…magic it away?”  


Emily gave the mer-prince an exasperated look. “I could, but since it’s not serious, I don’t see the point. It’s better to save magic for emergencies.” It was true, even if it wasn’t the real reason Emily shied away from magical healing these days.  


“If you say so…” Marlin said, still looking dubious.  


Emily looked out the cave mouth, squinting at the sun. “It’s getting late. I promised I’d meet my friends for dinner.”  


Marlin took her hand, and Emily immediately tensed. She hoped he wasn’t going to try to kiss her again.  


He didn’t. Instead, he stared intently into her eyes with an uncharacteristically sober expression. “Walk with me,” he said. “There’s something I need to tell you.”  


Emily liked holding hands, and walking across the beach at sunset, the only sound the soft rhythm of the waves lapping against the shore and the aboleth Buttercup romping at her feet. She just didn’t like kissing. It was slimy and gross, like getting a faceful of sea-dragon mucus. So while she was glad Marlin didn’t try to kiss her, she was still worried by his solemn demeanor.  


“Is something wrong?” she asked, when they had walked a while in silence.  


“Sort of,” he said. “It – well – you know Lady Coral?”  


“Yes.” Coral was from a noble background, but very humble and friendly in person. She had recently bonded a sea-dragon, and was very nervous about it but very determined to do right by her bonded. Emily liked her, and said as much.  


“Well, you see,” Marlin said. “My parents like her too.”  


“I don’t see why they wouldn’t,” Emily said, still not understanding what Marlin was getting at.  


“Emily, my parents like her,” Marlin repeated. “And she’s of noble birth, and a mer-person.” Emily stared at him blankly. “Emily, they want me to marry her!”  


“Oh!” Emily said, light-headed from relief, followed almost immediately by a crushing guilt. The relief had not been from hearing that nothing was wrong, but from seeing that her relationship with Marlin would have to end. That was not how girls were supposed to feel about their boyfriends.  


“I told them I wouldn’t,” Marlin continued. “I told them I would abdicate the throne if I had to!”  


“You don’t…like her?” Emily asked nervously.  


“I mean, I don’t dislike her,” Marlin said. “I don’t really know her all that well…but it doesn’t matter! Emily, the only one for me is you.”  


Emily stopped walking and pulled her hand out of his before she even thought about it. Marlin stopped too, and stared at her with a look of utter betrayal.  



	3. Chapter 3

“I would do anything for you,” Marlin said. “Emily, you were the first person to believe in me. If I had never met you, I would still be a spoiled brat. I wouldn’t have any friends. I wouldn’t have my bonded. I owe you everything, and I…I want to spend the rest of my life with you!”  


Emily gaped, speechless with shock. Buttercup rubbed against her ankles, whimpering anxiously. That steadied her. “Marlin,” she said, breathlessly. “I’m sixteen! I’m not thinking about marriage yet!”  


“Well we wouldn’t do it right this minute,” Marlin said as though it were obvious. “But if you were willing to be engaged to me…”  


“Marlin, no,” Emily said firmly. “I am not going to marry you. First of all, because your kingdom would probably have an uprising, and more importantly, I don’t feel that way about you.”  


He looked at her like she had just murdered his sea-dragon. “I…I thought you loved me! Have you just been toying with me this whole time?”  


“No!” Emily said. “It’s just…Marlin, you’re one of my best friends, and I don’t want to lose that, but I don’t want to marry you.”  


Marlin stared sullenly at the sand. “I should have guessed,” he said. “You never wanted to kiss me.”  


“That doesn’t mean I don’t – “ Emily ran a hand through her hair. Why did boys have to be so dense? “Marlin, I think you’re a little obsessed with romance. What’s wrong with being friends?”  


“Obsessed?” Marlin said bitterly. “Love is obsession. Not a minute goes by that I don’t think of you. Everything I do or say, I wonder ‘Would Emily approve? Will it make her happy?’ Your life means more to me than my own.”  


“Marlin,” Emily said impatiently. “That’s not romantic. That’s creepy. And if you really were that concerned about my happiness, you wouldn’t be trying to manipulate me into marrying you when I’ve stated repeatedly that I am not interested.”  


Marlin blinked. “I – I suppose I hadn’t thought about it like that,” he said. “I just don’t understand how I can feel this much for you, but you feel nothing!”  


“I don’t feel nothing,” Emily said gently. “I just don’t think it would be honest to marry you when I don’t feel the same way about you that you feel about me.”  


“You might come to love me…”  


“I _do_ love you Marlin. Just not like _that_.”  


Marlin was finally silent. He did not look entirely convinced, but he had at least run out of things to say.  


Something popped in the air beside them.  


“Dragonfly call,” Emily said, forcing a smile. “Have to take it. Sorry.”  


Goldie and Blaze appeared in the air, spinning a window into Ravenswood. “Hey Kara,” Emily said. “Sorry I’m late, I just had to take care of a few things…”  


“Don’t worry, it’s just as well you’re still there,” Kara said. “Zach needs help. There’s an injured griffin.”  


“A griffin?” Emily had never seen a griffin before, and despite the urgency of the situation, she felt excited at the prospect. “I’m on my way. Should I take the portals?”  


“Yep. Tweak’s got a path all plotted out for you. Dragonflies! Go!”  


Emily turned back to Marlin. “I have to go,” she apologized. “There’s a hurt griffin.”  


“A griffin? I didn’t think there were any griffins left anymore.”  


“Well, there’s at least one. Anyway, I’ll come back to check on the dragons in a few days, if that’s all right.”  


“Of course it’s all right,” Marlin said, a little too quickly. “Why wouldn’t it be all right?”  


“Right,” Emily said. Behind her, the portal expanded as the other dragonflies joined in the circle. Emily could faintly hear Kara’s off-key singing. The view in the window changed from her friends at Ravenswood to the starry field of the Web.  


Just before stepping through, Emily paused. “Marlin?”  


“Yes?”  


“Give Coral a chance, all right? I think you two can be friends.”  


Marlin did not answer, and Emily did not have the time to wait for him. She picked up Buttercup, and dived into the portal.


	4. Chapter 4

“Is she there yet?” Adriane asked impatiently.  


Tweak fiddled with a device that looked like an ipod, but had the starry web map on its screen. “According to my calculations, Emily should arrive in four…three…two…”  


_Pop!_  


The dragonfly portal reappeared, showing Emily kneeling next a bloody, mangled bundle of feathers. Behind her stood Zach, looking like he was about to be sick.  


“The wounds are bad enough, but there’s poison at work too,” Emily was saying. “Zach, Drake, without you two he probably wouldn’t be alive right now. Great work.”  


“Can you save him?” Zach asked desperately. He was clearly thinking of Wind Dancer, his griffin friend from childhood.  


“I will,” Emily said grimly.  


“We’re ready to feed you power anytime you need,” Adriane called.  


“Thanks, but I should be able to do this myself.”  


“Not unless she’s gotten a lot better at healing than I remember,” Kara murmured to Adriane. “Is it just me, or has she been pushing us away lately?”  


“I don’t know,” Adriane said, though it had been a while since the three had worked magic together.  


The girls watched the familiar turquoise glow spring up around Emily’s hands as she placed them on the griffin. Almost immediately, an ominous red tinge appeared, and Emily cried out.  


“We’re losing her!” Kara said, snapping into crisis mode. “Ravenswood, assemble!”  


“Dreamer, round up whoever you can find,” Adriane ordered. “Ronif, Rasha, Balthazar!” Quiffles, pegasi, jeeran, and brimbees all crowded around the girls as the mistwolf herded them close. Kara held up a hand, and a spear of silvery-pink fire shot through the portal, joining Emily’s light. Adriane added her own topaz magic, and even Zach and Drake were melding their exhausted power to theirs.  


“C’mon, Emily,” Adriane muttered. “You can do it!” She pushed harder with her magic, until her power and Emily’s were as one.  


Then, everything went black.  


Adriane thought she might have screamed, but there was no sound, no form, nothing. Then…pain. Adriane let out another soundless scream, heard or felt a hundred others join her as the life was drained out of them…  


“Adriane!”  


Something slapped her face. It was a welcome, ordinary pain.  


“I don’t think you should do that,” Adriane heard Emily say in a faint voice. She opened her eyes, groggily, to see Kara staring down at her.  


“Beat it, Barbie,” Adriane said.  


“I’m just trying to _save your life_ ,” Kara said huffily. She drew back and Adriane sat up, only to have Dreamer bound over to her and start washing her face. Packmate! We thought we had lost you!  


“I’m fine,” Adriane said, hugging the mistwolf. “What happened?”  


“One of us can answer that,” Kara said, looking at Emily, who sat slumped against Drake’s side. “And it isn’t me.”


	5. Chapter 5

“So let me get this straight,” Adriane said at last. They had ended up ordering pizza delivery instead of going out, and two boxes already lay empty on the floor of the Ravenswood library. “You’re saying that every time you heal…every time you use magic…you turn back into the Dark Mage?”  


“No!” Emily said, horrified. “Not exactly. It’s just kind of…there. Like if I slip, I’ll turn back into the dark Mage. But I haven’t slipped yet.”  


“There’s nothing in the HORARFF about this,” Tweak said fretfully. A stray bit of melted cheese adorned the experimental fairimental’s head. “Oh dear, oh dear.”  


“And why should there be?” Kara said. “No one’s ever come back from being a dark mage before. We’ve done a lot of things no one’s ever done before, in fact. You should start writing the book about us, instead of trying to make us follow the book!” As Tweak gasped in indignation, Kara turned back to Emily. “You should have said something! Why didn’t you tell us? It's been three years!”  


Emily shrugged. “It wasn't too bad at first. It's only lately it's been like...what you saw. I didn't want you to worry."  


“Well we’re worried now!”  


“It doesn’t matter,” Adriane broke in. “We know what’s going on now, so what are we going to do about it?” Emily gave her a grateful look.  


Kara sighed, and picked up a piece of cold pizza. “I don’t know,” she said. “I could ask Tasha to run some tests – if you’re willing?” she asked Emily.  


“I don’t really know," Emily said. "I’m too tired to make a decision right now. We can talk more about it tomorrow.”  


“An excellent idea,” Tweak said. “A healthy body makes a healthy mind, and a healthy mind casts better magic. Make sure you get eight hours of sleep a day, drink ten cups of water, and floss regularly!”  


“Tweak, do you even have teeth?”  


Adriane walked outside with the others. It was evening, and stars glittered in the sky, brighter and more numerous than in Stonehill proper. “You okay to drive?” Adriane asked Emily. “I could give you a ride. Or Kara could.” Kara was already standing beside her shiny new convertible, but was lingering, possibly with the same notion Adriane had.  


“Thanks, but I’m fine. Really.” Emily smiled at her, but it looked forced.  


“If you say so,” Adriane said, and impulsively reached out and hugged her friend. Emily and Kara had long since learned that Adriane was Not A Hug Person, but right now, it seemed to her that Emily needed it. This close to her, she could smell the lingering scents of wet dog and old seaweed that clung to her, as well as disinfectant and a slightly fruity shampoo. The combination was so purely Emily that it made Adriane feel strange for a moment, dizzy and almost nauseous. She quickly let go, and clapped Emily on the shoulder. “Take care of yourself,” she said gruffly.  


“You too,” Emily said, with another smile. This time it looked genuine.  


Adriane watched the convertible and the mini cooper pull out of the driveway, taillights winking out of sight as they rounded the corner. She sat down on the front steps and scratched Dreamer’s ears.  


“You think she’ll be okay?” she asked.  


_The healer will be fine_ , Dreamer said, dropping his head in her lap. _But what of you?_  


“Me? I’m not the one who has to worry about turning into a Dark Mage every time I use magic.”  


_But you are scared. Confused. What’s wrong, packmate?_  


Adriane sighed. “I don’t know, Dreamer. I just don’t know.”  


_When you do know_ , Dreamer said. _You can tell me. I will listen._  


Adriane smiled, and hugged the wolf. “Thanks Dreamer. I love you.”  


_And I love you_ , Dreamer said, wagging his tail slightly. _You are my packmate, and I am yours. We run together, now and forever._


	6. Chapter 6

The next day was Saturday, so Emily went straight to Ravenswood as soon as she woke up.  


“Sorry,” she said, as a yawning Adriane answered the door in her pajamas – flannel pants and a faded bad t-shirt. “I should have called to make sure you were up.”  


“Well I’m up now,” Adriane said. “Let me put on some clothes, and I’ll call Kara and get her over here.”  


“You sure we shouldn’t wait a bit?” Emily asked, knowing what Kara was like when she missed out on her beauty sleep.  


Adriane just grinned. “Oh no, it’ll be my pleasure.”  


It took about five minutes for Adriane to find a suitable pair of black jeans and a matching black t-shirt. It took another five minutes for her to harass Kara out of bed, which Emily could hear from the floor below. Finally, Adriane joined her in the kitchen, fumbling a ponytail into place.  


“I’m thinking about just cutting it all off,” she told Emily. “It would be so much easier.”  


You look good with long hair,” Emily said. “But you’d probably look good with it short, too. I mean, it’s your hair.”  


Adriane smiled. She finished with her hair, and took a box of cereal out of the pantry. “You want some? I bet you didn’t eat before coming here.”  


Emily laughed. She had put a powerbar in her backpack, but Buttercup had eaten it and then promptly gone back to sleep. “You know me so well.”  


That was what she liked about her relationship with the mages, Emily realized, as Adriane poured two bowls of cereal and milk. It was the little things that showed that they took the time to listen to and take care of each other. Marlin had come a long way since being a spoiled brat, but he was always so pushy with their relationship, and was not the best listener.  


Adriane pushed the second bowl of cereal across the kitchen table and sat down. “What?”  


Emily realized she was smiling. “Nothing,” she said, and picked up her spoon. “How are things with you and Zach?” she asked, trying to change the subject.  


Adriane dropped her spoon. “What’s that got to do with anything?” she said very quickly.  


“Nothing,” Emily said. “I was just asking. I’ve been thinking about relationship stuff lately. I kind of broke up with Marlin.”  


“Oh.” Adriane gave her a funny look. “What brought that about?”  


“You don’t seem surprised.”  


Adriane shrugged. When she didn’t offer anything else, Emily went ahead and gave her a summary of her last conversation with Marlin.  


“What a douche,” Adriane declared.  


Emily smiled. “He’s really not a bad guy,” she said. “He just…doesn’t really have perspective.”  


“Well, it’s not your job to teach him,” Adriane said. “Leave that to Coral. Is her name seriously Coral?”  


Emily giggled. “Honestly, part of the reason I hope they hit is off is because of their names.”  


“Marlin and Coral.” Adriane shook her head. “I hope they don’t name their firstborn Nemo. That would be bad news for Coral.”  


“I’ll make sure to warn her.” It felt nice, joking and goofing off with Adriane like this. Why did people act like boyfriends were more important than friends, anyway? She’d rather have Adriane than a thousand Marlins.  


That thought had not come out of nowhere. Emily had suspected for a long time that she did not feel the way about boys that a heterosexual teenager should. She supposed she was probably a lesbian, but she didn’t exactly notice cute girls the way Rae Windor did. Except maybe Adriane. Sometimes when they were together, Emily felt a flustered, butterflies feeling that she was starting to think was a crush – but she shied away from the thought of kissing Adriane, or anything like that.  


“Hey,” Adriane said, breaking Emily out of her reverie. “You sure you’re all right?”  


Emily blinked, grateful that none of the other mages could read minds. “Fine,” she answered.  


Concern still lit the warrior’s dark eyes, but just then, Kara barged in through the front door.  


“All right, I’m here!” the blazing star called. “Let’s get this show on the road!”


	7. Chapter 7

“I should have been there with you,” Ozzie fretted, as the three girls arrived at the Fairy Glen. “I feel like I’m abandoning you guys.”  


“Don’t worry about it,” Kara assured him. “You trained us well. Besides, we understand. You’re a father now. You have to stay at home and be responsible.”  


Ozzie shuddered. “If you say so.”  


A year ago, Ozzie had married Esmerelda the elf, and returned to Aldenmoor and elf-shape more or less permanently. Nine months later, the triplets Oswald, Osric, and Ozalea had been born, and they had barely seen the tip of one of his pointy ears since. It felt good to have the whole team together again.  


Zach was sitting under Okawa, his tree friend and home, talking to the griffin. He looked up as the mages approached. Kara noticed he was particularly avoiding looking at her. She hoped it wasn’t because of what had happened at the last fairy rave. She also hoped Adriane didn’t suspect, but her subtle questions to the warrior had been fruitless so far.  


“So what’s up?” Ozzie asked.  


“Everyone, this is Lightning,” Zach said. “Lightning, these are the mages – Ozzie, Emily, Adriane, and Kara.”  


The griffin weakly raised his head, peering at the all with a large orange eye. “Hello,” he squawked. His feathers were black and white in a jagged pattern that really did look a lot like lightning bolts. And despite having heard Adriane and Zach’s account of riding on Wind Dancer, Kara had not realized just how big griffins were. A bit shorter than a horse, but longer and more massive.  


“How do you feel?” Emily asked, kneeling down beside the griffin.  


“Much better, thank you,” Lightning said. “Zach says you can help me.”  


“We sure can,” Kara assured him. “Helping magical animals in need is what we do. So what’s your problem?”  


“Gargoyles,” Lightning said, and Kara saw Zach flinch – gargoyles had killed Wind Dancer. “In my home valley. They attacked us, stole our eggs. My mates are tracking them, but they sent me to get help. Only the gargoyles saw me leaving and attacked me as I fled like a coward.”  


“You’re not a coward,” Kara told him. “You did what you had to do, and your family will live because of it.” She paused, thinking about his story. “Mates?”  


Lightning nodded. “Cloud Whisper and Sun Shadow. And two eggs. Our first.”  


“Oof,” Ozzie said. “Believe me, once they hatch, you’ll wish the gargoyles had kept them.”  


The griffin bristled, and Ozzie took a step back.  


“O-kay!” Kara said. She’d ask about the mates another time. Maybe he meant mates as in friends. Didn’t they do that in Britain? “So, you think you can lead us back to this valley of yours?”  


Lightning nodded, and tried to stand up. Emily pushed him back down. “You aren’t going anywhere until you’ve rested,” she told him firmly.  


“But - !”  


“You’re still weak. You’ll collapse before you even make it to the valley,” Emily said. “Anyway, we need some time to prepare for a long journey.”  


“We should also ask around, to see where the gargoyles came from, and what they want with your eggs,” Kara said.  


“Sell them on the black market, probably,” Lightning said with a shudder. “Kill them and use them for magic potions, or hatch them and raise them to be a mage’s slave. Er, no offense,” he added to Dreamer, Lyra, and Buttercup.  


_None taken,_ Lyra told him. _We know there is a big difference between a bond of friendship and a bond of slavery._  


“So it’s settled, then,” Adriane said, cracking her knuckles. “Lightning stays here to rest, while we go look at the black market.”  


“Yay,” Kara said sarcastically. “I get to spend time with my least favorite boy.”  


“There’s a boy you don’t like?” Adriane snarked back.  


Kara opened her mouth for a retort, but with impeccably bad timing, Zach grabbed her arm. “Can I talk to you?” he said quietly.  


Kara gave Adriane a parting glare. “I’ll catch up to you guys in a minute,” she said, and followed Zach up into his tree house.


	8. Chapter 8

“So,” Zach said, and then looked lost.  


“So,” Kara agreed. She braced herself for what she knew was coming.  


“So at the fairy rave…”  


“Which one?”  


“The one where you kissed me.”  


She knew it. “Oh! That one,” Kara said. “The one where I accidentally drank that extra-strength fairy nectar and went around kissing everybody?”  


“Is that all it was?” Zach asked quietly.  


“Zach, I even kissed Tasha that night, and you know I don’t swing that way. Besides, I think Sierra has a thing for her, and I wouldn’t get in the way of that. Are you really so arrogant that you think I’ve been hiding secret feelings for you these past few years?”  


Zach blushed. Clearly, he had been thinking exactly that. “N-no,” he said. “It’s just…it got me thinking. Adriane’s basically the first girl I ever met. I mean, the first human girl. And I’m starting to wonder if that’s why I fell in love with her – because she was the only human person I had to fall in love with. I mean, not that she isn’t great, but there are a lot of other people in the worlds, and I haven’t even looked around. And I feel guilty when I do look.”  


“So Adriane doesn’t know we kissed?” Kara asked, wanting to get back to the important stuff.  


“No. At least, if she does, I’m not the one who told her.”  


“Huh,” Kara said. “Then she’s probably just been picking up on your feelings.”  


“What do you mean?” Zach stared at her desperately. He was such a puppy. Not her type at all. Even Tasha was more her type.  


“Oh, she just said you’d been acting weird lately and she didn’t want to talk about it,” Kara said hastily. “I’d better get going.”  


“But…but what should I do?” Zach asked.  


“Oh no you don’t,” Kara said. “I’m not going to give both of you advice and then have you blame me when you follow it and it doesn’t work.”  


“Well, what did you tell Adriane to do?”  


Kara threw up her arms in frustration. “That’s none of your business. Okay, you want advice? Talk to Adriane. Tell her how you feel. I know you don’t want to hurt her, but you’re not doing her any favors by hiding your feelings.”  


Zach still looked uncertain, and opened his mouth to protest. Kara swung her legs down through Okawa’s branches. “You coming shopping with us, or you want to babysit the griffin?”  


“I…I think I want to stay with Lightning,” Zach confessed. “He reminds me of Windy…”  


“I understand,” Kara said, and felt herself warming toward him a bit. He wasn’t so bad, really, but honestly, Adriane could do so much better.


End file.
